[SOLVED] Cannot replace AntiX with other distro

Klaas Vaak · 06-04-2019, 09:41 AM

I have a Lenovo Yoga 300 hybrid tablet with 2 GB RAM and a 32 GB eMMC drive. I bought it with Win 8.1, but after 2 years encountered problems, so I installed AntiX and wiped Win completely. That went fine.

Now I have a scrolling issue that I cannot seem to solve so I want to replace AntiX with Mint 19.1, which I have on another, "normal" laptop without that scrolling issue. But when I inserted the USB stick onto which I had etched Mint, and click on "Try without installing" I get a black screen, a few lines of text & numbers, and it starts flashing. So I have to do a forced shutdown.

I mention the eMMC drive because it might be relevant, it might not. Here are the full details:

Code:

inxi -Fxz
System:
  Host: Yoga300 Kernel: 4.19.25-antix.1-amd64-smp x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc 
  v: 6.3.0 Desktop: IceWM 1.4.2 
  Distro: antiX-17.2_x64-full Helen Keller 4 October 2018 
  base: Debian GNU/Linux 9 (stretch) 
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: LENOVO product: 80M0 v: Lenovo YOGA 300-11IBY serial: <filter> 
  Mobo: LENOVO model: Mini v: SDK0J33995WIN serial: <filter> UEFI: LENOVO v: C0CN25WW 
  date: 04/21/2015 
Battery:
  ID-1: BAT1 charge: 12.5 Wh condition: 26.3/30.0 Wh (88%) model: SMP L14M2P22 
  status: Discharging 
CPU:
  Topology: Dual Core model: Intel Celeron N2840 bits: 64 type: MCP arch: Silvermont 
  rev: 8 L2 cache: 1024 KiB 
  flags: lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 8663 
  Speed: 766 MHz min/max: 500/2582 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 746 2: 893 
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel Atom Processor Z36xxx/Z37xxx Series Graphics & Display 
  vendor: Lenovo driver: i915 v: kernel bus ID: 00:02.0 
  Display: server: X.Org 1.19.2 driver: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa 
  resolution: 1366x768~60Hz 
  OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Bay Trail v: 3.3 Mesa 13.0.6 direct render: Yes 
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel Atom Processor Z36xxx/Z37xxx Series High Definition Audio 
  vendor: Lenovo driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus ID: 00:1b.0 
  Sound Server: ALSA v: k4.19.25-antix.1-amd64-smp 
Network:
  Device-1: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet vendor: Lenovo 
  driver: r8169 v: kernel port: 1000 bus ID: 01:00.0 
  IF: eth0 state: down mac: <filter> 
  Device-2: Intel Wireless 3160 driver: iwlwifi v: kernel port: 1000 bus ID: 02:00.0 
  IF: wlan0 state: up mac: <filter> 
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 29.24 GiB used: 4.57 GiB (15.6%) 
  ID-1: /dev/mmcblk0 model: BGND3R size: 29.12 GiB 
  ID-2: /dev/sda type: USB model: USB NAND FLASH size: 125.0 MiB 
Partition:
  ID-1: / size: 7.81 GiB used: 4.56 GiB (58.4%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/mmcblk0p2 
  ID-2: swap-1 size: 2.00 GiB used: 420 KiB (0.0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/mmcblk0p3 
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 41.0 C mobo: N/A 
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A 
Info:
  Processes: 149 Uptime: 1d 1h 18m Memory: 1.83 GiB used: 619.8 MiB (33.0%) 
  Init: SysVinit runlevel: 5 Compilers: gcc: 6.3.0 Shell: bash v: 4.4.12 inxi: 3.0.29

rokytnji · 06-04-2019, 10:39 AM

How did you make the usb drive.
What boot options in Mint did you use?
Looks like

Quote:

This site can’t be reached forums.linuxmint.com’s server IP address could not be found.
DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN

is down for me today.

Klaas Vaak · 06-04-2019, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rokytnji

How did you make the usb drive.

I 1st used the USB Image Writer that comes with Mint, then used balenaEtcher. Results are the same.

Quote:

What boot options in Mint did you use?

Like I said: "Try Mint without installing".
I also tried "install Mint".

Timothy Miller · 06-04-2019, 11:59 AM

Sounds like it's puking trying to load graphics offhand. Did you try starting Mint in "compatibility mode"? That should do software rendering instead of attempting to load 3d hardware acceleration.

Klaas Vaak · 06-05-2019, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Timothy Miller

Sounds like it's puking trying to load graphics offhand.

"Puking" is the right word because it really is a stream of text & numbers.

Quote:

Did you try starting Mint in "compatibility mode"? That should do software rendering instead of attempting to load 3d hardware acceleration.

I had not picked that one up in the Grub. I tried it, and that went well, albeit that there was also a stream of text (different) and no flashing. Anyway, I got to the desktop, was able to click on "install", got the subsequent steps like keyboard, install 3rd party software, but then .....

I got to the "installation type" screen, but not as it should be with 3 options, incl. erase entire disk, Something else. Instead, there was a white empty box with some tabs headed Device, type, Mount point, etc. The tabs are passive, i.e. unclickable.
Below that there are 3 buttons: +, -, and Change.
Below that the "Device for boot loader installation", showing /dev/sda
Below that 3 buttons: Quit, Back, Install.
Whether I click on the Change button or the Install button, I get a pop-up message box saying the installer has crashed !!!!

I tried several times, and each time the result was the same. I get the impression that AntiX is baked into the hard drive forever and cannot be removed anymore. Is there any way to force an erase or format of the hard drive?

teckk · 06-05-2019, 08:00 AM

Quote:

I get a pop-up message box saying the installer has crashed !!!!

That's the problem you are having.

Quote:

I get the impression that AntiX is baked into the hard drive forever and cannot be removed anymore.

No, your installer usb stick is corrupt, or you have a graphical problem of some kind. Find out why that is. If it's BIOS or UEFI.

Quote:

Is there any way to force an erase or format of the hard drive?

Sure, use dd to erase the first couple of megabytes. Or use parted or fdisk to remove the partitions. I don't think that is the problem though.

https://askubuntu.com/questions/7479...oga-300-11iby/
https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?t=233618
https://superuser.com/questions/1266...os-screen-nada

Timothy Miller · 06-05-2019, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Klaas Vaak

"Puking" is the right word because it really is a stream of text & numbers.

I had not picked that one up in the Grub. I tried it, and that went well, albeit that there was also a stream of text (different) and no flashing. Anyway, I got to the desktop, was able to click on "install", got the subsequent steps like keyboard, install 3rd party software, but then .....

I got to the "installation type" screen, but not as it should be with 3 options, incl. erase entire disk, Something else. Instead, there was a white empty box with some tabs headed Device, type, Mount point, etc. The tabs are passive, i.e. unclickable.
Below that there are 3 buttons: +, -, and Change.
Below that the "Device for boot loader installation", showing /dev/sda
Below that 3 buttons: Quit, Back, Install.
Whether I click on the Change button or the Install button, I get a pop-up message box saying the installer has crashed !!!!

I tried several times, and each time the result was the same. I get the impression that AntiX is baked into the hard drive forever and cannot be removed anymore. Is there any way to force an erase or format of the hard drive?

Seems odd that Mint wouldn't support eMMC drives still. Is this the latest 19.1 installer? If so I can take it for a quick test on my Acer that uses eMMC to test...

Klaas Vaak · 06-05-2019, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Timothy Miller

Seems odd that Mint wouldn't support eMMC drives still.

It is indeed, I did not expect that.

Quote:

Is this the latest 19.1 installer?

Yes it is, 19.1 XFCE 64-bit, to be precise.

Klaas Vaak · 06-05-2019, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teckk

No, your installer usb stick is corrupt, or you have a graphical problem of some kind.

I don't believe that because I used the same stick to install LM on my other laptop.

Quote:

Find out why that is. If it's BIOS or UEFI.

The hybrid is UEFI, Win 8.1 was installed on it, and I did not change that in the settings.
Should I do anything else?

Quote:

Or use parted or fdisk to remove the partitions. I don't think that is the problem though.

GParted comes with the .iso image, but when I run it from the LM live USB stick it only detects the stick.

BTW, the 1st and the last link are useful. I need a bit of time to get into that, but will let you know my results.

Timothy Miller · 06-06-2019, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Klaas Vaak

It is indeed, I did not expect that.

Yes it is, 19.1 XFCE 64-bit, to be precise.

Well, looks like I can't be of much help. I just booted my Acer A114-31 (32 GB eMMC) with Mint 19.1 USB, and not a single issue with it seeing or manipulating the eMMC.

Klaas Vaak · 06-06-2019, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Timothy Miller

Well, looks like I can't be of much help. I just booted my Acer A114-31 (32 GB eMMC) with Mint 19.1 USB, and not a single issue with it seeing or manipulating the eMMC.

On the contrary, you have been of help, believe it or not. This last comment is most helpful in that it confirms that LM 19.1 can work perfectly on an eMMC. I have read some negative comments. Also, an eMMC is a cheapish solution that may conk out more easily.

The only issue with LM then is for it to detect eMMC, and I have seen people reporting specifically that LM cannot detect an eMMC. Maybe it would be different if the eMMC is wiped completely clean.
Thanks for you help ;-)

Klaas Vaak · 06-28-2019, 06:20 AM

This issue has spiralled out of control – I hope the experts here allow me to use this terminology.
I could not get the computer to read any live USBs decently. Even GParted on a live USB stick could not be launched.
But, with the antiX live USB GParted recognised the current antiX partitions, so I proceeded to delete them. That seemed to have gone well, but ….

I tried to reinstall antiX (BIOS settings: secure boot – off, Legacy booting on), and marked it for Auto-install, it threw up a message that /sda1 in still in use. So Iset it to custom install, and set the root to the eMMC drive, boot in root, /home in root, swap separate. It asked if everything was allowed to be overwritten, which I confirmed.
The installation completed and at the end asked me if I wanted to reboot (if so, take out the installation medium). Having confirmed that, it rebooted but then got stuck on a black screen with some text, and the message that no bootable device was detected, and to please insert the disc? Huh?

I am completely confused now, don’t understand what I did wrong, and am frustrated with all this. I probably did some things wrong, so I accept my stupidity for that, but is there anything to correct this and get the computer to boot correctly into antiX, hopefully without my earlier issues of trackpad/scrollbar sensitivity.

beachboy2 · 06-28-2019, 09:10 AM

Klaas Vaak,

Just a suggestion.

Since your machine seems to like antiX, you may find it helpful to try installing its slightly bigger brother (or cousin) MX Linux and see whether you have a different outcome to installing LM 19.

Klaas Vaak · 06-28-2019, 12:46 PM

Thanks beachboy2. I've still got 1 or 2 things to try with antiX. If they don't work, I'll give MX a try. I'll let you know.

rokytnji · 06-28-2019, 03:19 PM

Quote:

I am completely confused now, don’t understand what I did wrong

Here Maybe

Quote:

marked it for Auto-install, it threw up a message that /sda1 in still in use. So Iset it to custom install, and set the root to the eMMC drive, boot in root, /home in root, swap separate

If you told grub to install to / partition. You could end up with

Quote:

it rebooted but then got stuck on a black screen with some text, and the message that no bootable device was detected, and to please insert the disc? Huh?

Edit: Also. When you picked auto install. I guess you found the bug where the auto installer saw the live usb as sda.

Not sure on your gear. But usually you need a boot partition on UEFI gear as I found out when I fixed my wifes broken Asus Laptop.

https://forum.mxlinux.org/viewtopic.php?f=107&t=50525

This post is just a un-educated guess post and could be wrong in most assumptions made .